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Nutrient Physiology, Metabolism, and Nutrient-Nutrient Interactions

Maternal Iron Deficiency Alters Essential Fatty Acid and Eicosanoid Metabolism and Increases Locomotion in Adult Guinea Pig Offspring^1–3,

⁴ École des sciences des aliments, de nutrition et d'études familiales, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB E1A 3E9 Canada; ⁵ Secteur Sciences Humaines, Université de Moncton, Edmundston, NB E3V 2S8 Canada; and ⁶ Département de chimie et biochimie, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB E1A 3E9 Canada; ⁷ Département des sciences des aliments et de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6 Canada

Iron deficiency (ID) is the most prevalent worldwide nutritional deficiency. Groups at risk of developing ID anemia are infants and pregnant women, even in industrialized countries. Our goal in this study was to evaluate the long-term consequences of maternal ID on the offspring's fatty acid and eicosanoid metabolism, behavior, and spatial memory. Female guinea pigs consumed iron-sufficient (IS) and –deficient (ID) diets for 14 d before mating and throughout pregnancy and lactation. Dietary iron restriction resulted in ID in pregnant females. On postnatal d 9, all offspring (ID and IS) were weaned to the IS diet and at 42 d, all offspring were iron replete. Locomotion was tested in pups on postnatal d 24 and 40 and spatial memory from d 25 to 40. Pups from the ID group were significantly more active in the open field at both times of testing, whereas spatial memory, tested in a Morris water maze, was comparable in both groups. On postnatal d 42, liver, RBC, and brain fatty acid composition were measured. Dihomogammalinolenic [20:3(n-6)], docosapentaenoic [22:5(n-3)], and docosahexaenoic [22:6(n-3)] acid contents were significantly higher in brain phospholipids of offspring born to ID dams. Prostaglandin E₂ and F₂ concentrations were also significantly higher in brains of offspring born to ID dams. This demonstrates that moderate ID during gestation and lactation results in alterations of brain fatty acid and eicosanoid metabolism and perturbation in behavior in adult offspring.

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: france.rioux{at}uottawa.ca.

Manuscript received 18 February 2009. Initial review completed 16 March 2009. Revision accepted 4 June 2009.

Published online 29 July 2009.